He is out of contract at the end of this season, and a report in the Chronicle has claimed that both Crystal Palace and Southampton want to sign him, offering a route into the first-team world of Premier League football.

So far in his short career, first-team football has looked unlikely with the Magpies, and there was always the sense that Woodman would look for a move if he could be guaranteed a better development path.

However, he has now been gifted the opportunity to fight for a Premier League role, and if he can impress over Elliot - which should not be too hard - Woodman will start a long career as a top flight stopper.

If he gets these chances to impress, Woodman is sure to sign a new contract with the Magpies rather than looking for a move away, knowing that he is in the future plans of Steve McClaren, guaranteeing Newcastle's future ownership of a great goalkeeper.

Billy Hawkins

Billy is a freelance writer who contributes to various sites concerning football. Known to possess an obsession with statistics, Eastern European club sides, and Victorian football, he focuses upon the untapped potential of the Football League in the belief it is more enjoyable than the Premier League.